Research shows that when young children have a foundation of high-quality learning opportunities before kindergarten, they not only gain an advantage in school and in life, but also in brain development. Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) in California is intended to provide this foundation for all four-year-old children.
Background
The Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 made Transitional Kindergarten (TK) available for 4-year-olds turning 5 between September 2 and December 2. This legislation gave new support for these students, but it did not include younger children who didn't qualify for public preschool because of their age, and who weren't old enough yet to enroll in Kindergarten or a TK classroom.
The vision of UPK is to resolve this issue, providing equitable access to programs for all 4-year-olds, without regard to income. The state of California is devoting the funds to train staff and prepare school facilities in order to give our children equitable access to quality teachers and programs. UPK will begin with a rollout in fall of 2022 for some LEAs.
UPK Planning Template
The Universal Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Grant Program - Planning Template was released in December 2021 to (1) offer planning questions for LEA consideration in developing comprehensive plans for UPK that meet community and family needs, and (2) outline the data that will be required for submission to the CDE to meet the requirements of EC Section 8281.5.
The Planning Template includes five focus areas for LEAs to consider:
A. Vision and Coherence
B. Community Engagement and Partnerships
C. Workforce Recruitment
D. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
E. LEA Facilities, Services, and Operations